The Greatest Christmas Gift Of All
by LightSpirit
Summary: My first Christmas story! Sun Hill is filled with Christmas spirit, but Smithy is having trouble finding the perfect Christmas gift for Kerry on their first Christmas together. Can Gina help him find what he's looking for? Plz R&R!


**The Greatest Christmas Gift Of All**

**_Christmas is coming to Sun Hill, but Smithy is struggling to find the perfect present for Kerry on their first Christmas together. Can Gina help him to realise what Kerry really wants?_**

* * *

The snow was falling, Christmas carols and songs were being sung and played, decorations were everywhere and people were trampling through the winters weather shopping for their families and friends. Christmas was coming once again in two days. Everyone was ready to spend the holiday at home with their families and they were all full of the Christmas spirit. However, there was one person trampling through the snow from shop to shop with a frown on his face - Sgt Dale Smith from Sun Hill Police Station.

Smithy had just got off work for Christmas, but wasn't really feeling much Christmas cheer at the minute. Instead, he was feeling disappointment and frustration because this Christmas was supposed to be special and like no other Christmas before; it was his first Christmas with his girlfriend PC Kerry Young. He and Kerry had been together for four months now and they were looking forward to spending this time of the year with each other, but everything he had planned wasn't really happening. He had promised himself two things; that this would be the best Christmas of Kerry's life and that he would buy her the perfect Christmas present like no other present she would receive. But sadly, he was not having a lot of success finding the perfect present for her. He saw loads of things women would want - jewellery, make-up, toiletries, clothes - but he felt they weren't enough because someone else was bound to get Kerry all that. He wanted to get her something more; something that came from him; something that showed how much he loved her.

Finally, he gave up looking and just stood against staring at the ground. Smithy felt so frustrated with himself that he felt he was going to let Kerry down; that was the last thing he wanted to do for her on their first Christmas together. This Christmas was supposed to be special for them both. Smithy couldn't deny what he felt for Kerry; he loved her more than anything else in his life and on their first Christmas together, he wanted to show her that in a very special way. She was worth a lot more than jewellery, clothes and make-up, and he obviously realised that he wasn't going to find the perfect present for her in the shops; he must've been to every single shop in Sun Hill! None of the shops had anything right for her in Smithy's eyes; he didn't realise finding the perfect gift for the woman he loved was going to be so difficult. He stood there trying to think what to do; Kerry was always very full of spirit when it came to Christmas and she had planned how they were going to spend Christmas Eve. They would spend it at the flat where they lived together, have a delicious Christmas Eve dinner, drink hot chocolate and then open a special present. Smithy was desperate to get that special present, but he'd been to all the shops and found nothing. Before he knew it, he was walking down the street again but this time, he was letting his mind take him away.

* * *

He walked for what felt like hours in the blistering cold; his glove covered hands stuck in his pockets and his face buried in his scarf. Finally, he came to where he had been summoned to, walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. He waited for a few seconds until finally the door was opened by none other than Inspector Gina Gold.

"Smithy! What are you doing here?!"

"I just ended up here after an unsuccessful shopping spree," he explained. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, yeah of course come in! You must be freezing; I'll put the kettle on." Gina said as she brought Smithy inside her warm and decorated house.

Gina was going to be spending Christmas out of town this year with her partner CPS lawyer Jonathan Fox. Jonathan had arranged to take Gina to Paris for the holidays along with his daughter Chloe the next day and Smithy could see that she had obviously been preparing for the trip because there were packed suitcases in the hallway. That was when he started to feel maybe now wasn't the best time to be paying her a visit. He took a seat in the living room and she walked in carrying two mugs of hot tea in her hands.

"Sorry if this wasn't such a good time to call on you," Smithy said as he took one of the hot mugs from Gina.

"No, no it's fine; I've just finished packing," she explained as she took a seat herself and they both took sips of their tea. "So what brings you here today?"

"I was out trying to find the perfect Christmas present for Kerry," Smithy answered looking down. "But I couldn't find anything and now I think it's obvious I'm going to have nothing to give her."

"Well what were you hoping to get her?" Gina asked.

"Something different from all her other presents," he said looking up at her. "Something that would be the perfect Christmas gift of all. I mean I saw jewellery and make-up and other things that women, but it seems obvious that other people have already got her things like those; I want to get her something better because she's worth a lot than all that and I want to get her a present that tells her that, but I've been to every shop in Sun Hill and I can't find one anywhere that says that. I mean this is our first Christmas together and I want it to be special; I want it to be perfect; I want to make it a Christmas to remember."

Gina saw the look of disappointment on Smithy's face and in his eyes and heard the sound of the same feeling in his voice; a strong feeling of wisdom suddenly hit her and she knew she had to teach him something very important about this time of year. She put her mug down on the table and sat beside him.

"Smithy, you're not going to find the perfect Christmas gift for Kerry in the shops because the perfect Christmas gift is one you can't buy," Gina explained to a confused Smithy. "Christmas isn't about presents and decorations, it's a time for caring, sharing, giving, being with your family and friends and love. I can see how much Kerry loves you and how much you love her, which is why the best Christmas present you can give her is your heart and your love."

Smithy was listening very attentively to Gina's words of wisdom; love truly is the best thing anyone can have and maybe it would be the perfect gift for Kerry. A gift from the heart is the best gift anyone can have.

* * *

About half an hour later, Smithy made his way home and sat in his living room, watching an old Christmas movie while waiting for Kerry to come home for she was working late that night. As he sat watching the romantic part of the film, an idea suddenly came to mind. Gina told him the perfect Christmas gift of all is love and that that would be what he should give to Kerry, so he got up off the sofa, walked over to his laptop, switched it on and started to type something before printing it off. He then sealed it in an envelope and put it in a safe place.

Kerry's shift finished at 10:00 that night and she arrived home at about 10:25, but Smithy was already asleep when she got home. Not wanting to wake him, Kerry quietly changed into her nightwear and climbed into the bed beside Smithy, but not before putting a present under their Christmas tree in the living room. He awoke a little when he felt her arms wrap around him.

"Hey," he managed to say sleepily as she snuggled up beside him.

"Hi," she replied smiling at him.

Smithy soon drifted off to sleep again and Kerry soon followed him as the snow was falling outside.

* * *

The next day finally came when Kerry and Smithy woke up together the next morning; it was Christmas Eve. The day was spent exactly as they had planned it in their beautifully decorated flat; when Kerry wasn't preparing their Christmas Eve dinner, she and Smithy cuddled up on the sofa together watching some of the movies that were on television drinking eggnog and eating gingerbread cookies that Smithy's mum had made for them. When it came to dinner, they had delicious roasted goose, stuffing, cooked vegetables, mashed potatoes with gravy and cooked ham with wine for their drink. After dinner, they returned to the sofa with delicious hot chocolate to drink; this Christmas Eve was turning out to be perfect, although Smithy was nervous about the present giving part that would happen any minute now. Finally that moment came when Kerry said:

"Well, you ready to open a special present Smithy?"

Smithy stayed silent for a moment before finally saying, "Yeah of course; you go first."

"Okay," Kerry said nodding her head and she stood up off the sofa, walked over to the Christmas tree, picked up a small present and handed it to Smithy before sitting down again.

Smithy took it, opened it and took out a silver watch. His eyes widened.

"Wow Kerry... I don't know what to say."

"Look on the back," Kerry told him and he did as she asked.

The back had been engraved - it had a small heart on it along with the letters 'K+S', which stood for 'Kerry and Smithy'. Smithy was speechless, but at the same time a little upset that he didn't get something like this for Kerry.

"Kerry it's wonderful, thank you."

"Something I bought out of love for you," she said. "I wanted to get something really special on our first Christmas together."

"I wanted to do the same for you, but now I feel I could've done better," Smithy frowning.

"Well what did you get me?" She asked looking confused. "Whatever you got me, I'm sure I'll like it."

Smithy was hestitant to give her what he had for her, but he knew he had to. He took an envelope that was sitting next to him and handed to her.

"I don't really feel it's much now," he said as she took it.

Kerry opened it and took out a lovely decorated piece of paper; she read out loud what it said.

_Dear Kerry_

_An old friend told me that Christmas isn't about carols,  
holly, decorations and presents you buy in the shops;  
It's actually about giving, caring, sharing and love._

_So that's why, on our first Christmas together,  
the best gift I can offer you is my heart and all the love I have for you.  
Whatever you get me for Christmas, the best gift you can give me  
is your happiness, your heart, your love and yourself._

_I love you more than any present I'll get this year and every other year after.  
Merry Christmas Kerry _

_Love Smithy_

"I wanted to get you the perfect Christmas gift," Smithy said when she had finished. "And I couldn't find one anywhere in the shops because everything I saw in the shops, I knew other people would probably buy them for you. But you're also worth a lot more than jewellery and make-up and clothes, so I wanted to find something that said that. And Gina told me that Christmas is about love and care and the best Christmas presents come from the heart, not what you buy in the shops."

Kerry looked up at Smithy with tears in her eyes; his gift completely touched her heart.

"Smithy this is so beautiful," she exclaimed. "You're right; Christmas is all about love and care and this is the sort of gift I wanted for Christmas; all I wanted was you."

Relief washed over Smithy when Kerry said those words. "Really?"

"Of course," she replied as she took his hand. "You're right; the best presents don't come from what you buy in the shop, but from the heart. I bought you that watch out of love, but what I wanted to give you more than that was happiness and the best Christmas ever because you've given me so much ever since we've been together. This is the best Christmas present I could ever ask for; thank you."

Smithy's face lit up with a smile when he saw the look of happiness in her eyes. "You're welcome."

They moved in closer and shared a passionate kiss; one that was a special Christmas kiss even though there was no mistletoe.

"Merry Christmas Smithy."

"Merry Christmas Kerry."

They spent the rest of the night admiring their presents, finishing their hot chocolate and watching television before finally retiring to the bedroom, where they made the night even more magical.

* * *

The next morning, Christmas Day, Kerry woke up in Smithy's arms filled with great happiness. She gently stroked his face and planted a soft kiss on his warm lips and he awoke after just a second. When he laid his eyes on Kerry, he smiled and stroked her blonde hair before tightening his arms around her, rolling her over onto her back and resuming the events of the previous night.

Eventually, they both got up, got dressed and prepared themselves to spend Christmas Day together. They spent the morning opening the rest of their presents and were pleased with what they had received, but their gifts for each other were still the best ones. They later shared a delicious Christmas dinner of vegetable soup, turkey, stuffing, cooked ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, cooked vegetables, champagne and Christmas pudding with custard.

As the day was drawing to its end, they spent most of the time cuddled up together on the sofa again in front of a well-lit fire to help digest their dinner. This Christmas had been even better than either of them had thought; it truly was the best Christmas of all for both of them.

"Smithy," Kerry said looking up as she was resting her head on Smithy's shoulder. "Thank you so much for the best Christmas ever and the best Christmas gift."

"Thank you Kerry for the best Christmas ever and the best Christmas gift," he replied as he stroked her face. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said smiling at him before raising her head a little more to kiss him.

The most perfect Christmas gift of all is love and a gift from the heart is cherished and true. So in the end, it's love that makes Christmas a gift giving season.

**The End**

* * *

**_Merry Christmas Everyone!  
And A Happy New Year!  
xxx  
_****_Love Amy_**


End file.
